


There is only Passion

by coldishcase, ScooBiNatural (coldishcase)



Series: The Sith Code According to Obi-Wan Kenobi [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin has contracted the Big Sad, Darth Kryze, Episode: s05e16 The Lawless, F/M, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Mandalore, Maul is a bit of a fanboy, Post-Satine's death, Savage is just perpetually confused, Serenno, Sith Obi-Wan, canon-typical tea drinking, our sophisticated men like their tea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:47:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24071632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldishcase/pseuds/coldishcase, https://archiveofourown.org/users/coldishcase/pseuds/ScooBiNatural
Summary: Jedi Master Lost!General Anakin Skywalker felt a dark disturbance in the Force from his former Master Obi-Wan Kenobi mid-battle on the harsh surface of Crait. As the battle draws to a close, victory in sight, his worry for his friend grows stronger.Unknown to him, Obi-Wan is unharmed, stopped halfway between Mandalore and Coruscant by the Notorious Count Dooku of the Separatist Alliance. Ordered by Darth Sidious to intercept the Jedi and dispose of his two Sith captives, Dooku instead betrayed his Dark Master and took the Jedi as his Apprentice.Now, the battle on Crait coming to an end, Jedi Knight Skywalker rushes to discover what has become of his former Master and close friend...
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: The Sith Code According to Obi-Wan Kenobi [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725721
Comments: 63
Kudos: 383





	There is only Passion

Anakin is sprinting back to base the second that it’s clear the battle has ended. Rex can handle it from here, he needs to contact the council. _Immediately_.

It feels like too long before Master Yoda answers.

“Felt it too, you did?” The diminutive Jedi asks him without preamble.

Anakin just nods, a bit out of breath from running at full tilt. “Something terrible has happened to Obi-Wan.”

The Master of the Order hums, looking down in thought. “Certain you are, that it was Kenobi? Sense who, I could not.”

“I’m sure, Master. I know what his Force signature feels like. It was him.” There is no doubt in Anakin’s mind. “He went to Mandalore, I’d like permission to go after him.”

That is news to Yoda. The Jedi seems surprised, and even more troubled. “Ordered not to go, he was. Told him that no one could help him, I did. It was pointless to ask the Senate… he agreed.”

And _that_ is news to Anakin. Obi-Wan, disobeying a direct order from Yoda? “He didn’t tell me he wasn’t supposed to go. He asked to borrow the _Twilight_ , I assumed he wanted an inconspicuous ship, not that he couldn’t use the Republic’s.” Anakin assumed that there was trouble of some sort brewing there, but his old Master hadn’t given him any specifics. “I wouldn’t have let him take it if I’d known he was going alone. He didn’t even take Cody with him?”

The green-skinned Master appears deeply troubled. “With Master Windu’s forces, the 212th is. Alone, Kenobi must be. This deception, I would not expect from him.”

“Let me go find him, Master.” Anakin asks again, more worried for his friend than before… and upset, too.

Obi-Wan lied to him. He knows his Master is skilled at misleading and deceiving his enemies (they do not call him _The Negotiator_ for nothing) … but Anakin did not expect him to use it to trick _him._ (Besides the Rako Hardeen incident… which he has already yelled at his old Master about.)

What else has he lied about?

“A mission, you already have.” Yoda reminds him with a soft frown.

Anakin shakes his head. “The battle is already won here, Master Yoda. We will be headed back to Coruscant soon. Mandalore is not far out of the way.”

The (much) older Jedi again shakes his head. His ears quiver with the movement. “Not yet. Speak with the Chancellor before sending Republic forces to a Neutral world, I must. Go to Master Windu’s aide, you will. With luck, then, to Mandalore you will both go.”

Anakin is not happy about it, but he understands. Obi-Wan did something very illegal and dangerous by going to interfere on Mandalore. They cannot do the same, especially not with armies of clones. They could start a war with the Coalition of Neutral Systems. “Yes, Master. I’ll be ready for your orders.”

“Go now, I will. Help Mace, you must. May the Force be with you, Knight Skywalker.”

“May the Force be with you, Master.” Anakin responds in kind, shutting off the comms and taking a speeder-bike back to his men. They need to get in gear and meet with Mace.

He is… troubled. Why would Obi-Wan lie to him about this? If he had waited a day, they could have gone together. It’s not that Anakin is against disobeying the council to rescue Satine… it is that his old Master didn’t ask him for help with it. One day would not have made a huge difference… why did he leave out that he was going alone?

… Maybe he assumed Anakin could guess from his request that it was against orders?

Yes, that must be it. Obi-Wan just assumed he was more intuitive than he is.

 _Yeah, like Obi-Wan would ever overestimate me,_ the Knight moodily thinks.

He just hopes there’s a reasonable explanation. And then, he and Obi-wan are going to have a serious talk about keeping things from each other. Even more serious than the last time.

Anakin isn’t guiltless, between his marriage to Padmé and his massacre of the sand people… but he’s sure Obi-Wan at least suspects the former, and as for the latter… he kept that from his Master when he worried it would affect his chances at knighthood. Now, he is very securely a Jedi Knight, and a strong, far more stable man; known now as the ‘Hero with No Fear’.

It is about time they both came clean… about a lot of things. Best friends-- _Family_ should not keep secrets, should not lie to each other.

Perhaps Obi-Wan only felt it was alright to lie, because Anakin has lied to him as well.

Hopefully, that is all there is to it… They’ve drawn so far apart over the course of the war. Anakin has lost Ahsoka already… He cannot bear to lose Obi-Wan too.

He dearly hopes he is not too late to save his Master.

. . .

“Ah, come in Master Yoda.” Palpatine greets the height-challenged alien, a friendly smile on his face. “To what do I owe this rare pleasure?” He asks, masking his annoyance easily. He needs to put in motion his plans to incriminate Kenobi… but under the watchful eye of this doddering old Jedi… he can do naught but wait for him to leave.

The Jedi Council’s Grandmaster hops up onto a seat and allows himself to let loose a heavy sigh. “With troubling news, I come to you. A disturbance in the Force we have felt, Skywalker and I. In danger, we suspect Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is. But…” the Jedi seems to look almost ashamed; Palpatine is doing his best not to lean too far forward. “Told me, Skywalker did, that Obi-Wan went to Mandalore. Against my orders, he did this, and alone, he went. Worried, I am, of what this disturbance means.”

Before Yoda can continue, Palpatine decides to gently interject. No need to wait through the surely long-winded explanation when he already knows the answer he will give. “And I’m guessing that the young Master Skywalker wishes to go looking for Kenobi?”

“Yes, Chancellor. A Neutral World, Mandalore is. To give him permission, it is not my place.”

He pretends to think about it, turning to look pensively out of his window. “… Very Well. Kenobi Is an outstanding General, I hope Skywalker finds him well.” The lie rolls easily off his tongue. “He may go search for him on Mandalore. I will contact the Coalition of Neutral Systems to make them aware that his presence is not an invasion, rather a search for a missing Jedi.”

The Grandmaster looks surprised by how quickly he was given permission. Then, remembering the Chancellor’s fondness for Anakin, he decides he should not be quite so surprised. He dips his head in respect and thanks. “Grateful for this, he will be. Thank you, Chancellor.”

“Of course, Master Yoda. You should make haste; I hope Anakin does not find his friend too late.” The Chancellor responds in a kindly fashion, dismissing him. “Best of luck.”

Obi-Wan and Dooku cannot get too far. Skywalker will put an end to his traitorous Apprentice, and possibly Kenobi as well. Now, he has only to wait.

. . .

When Anakin arrives to back up Master Windu, there is not much for him to do. Three legions of Clones are overwhelming for the single Droid manufacturing facility. Anakin and Mace can stand back and simply get out of the way while the 501st, 212th, and 187th overrun and demolish the facility.

He takes the time to fill Windu in on Obi-Wan, catching him up to speed on the situation before Yoda contacts them.

Perfect timing, too.

“That must be him,” Anakin comments, activating his beeping commlink. “Master Yoda?”

The hologram of the aged Jedi appears, giving a nod at the greeting. “How is your mission, Master Mace? Helped you, I hope Skywalker has.”

“He has,” the Korun responds with a nod towards the GrandMaster. “The facility is all but dealt with. The 187th can handle it from here if Obi-Wan needs our help.”

There is a quiet hum from the green Jedi. “Told you the situation, I see Anakin has. Good, this is. Permission from the Chancellor, you have been given. Go to Mandalore and bring back Master Kenobi, you both must.” He nods again, decisively. “No more time can we waste. You must find him, before it is too late… Sense great danger surrounding Master Kenobi, I do.”

Anakin nods, relief filling him as he hears they have been given permission to go after Obi-Wan. That relief fades as Yoda completes his thought. “We won’t fail, Master Yoda. We’ll have him back home tomorrow.”

The elder Jedi nods again, though he still looks troubled. He does sense danger around Obi-Wan, but the Force is clouded. It is difficult for him to tell if the danger comes for Obi-Wan… or _from_ him. He just needs to trust that Anakin and Mace will succeed in finding him and bringing him to safety.

Surely, a model Jedi like Obi-Wan Kenobi is not a danger to them. He is more likely in need of a rescue.

Why then, is he still so uncertain?

. . .

Dooku’s solar sailer is as beautiful inside as it is from the outside. After getting Maul and Savage into the yacht’s holding cell and assisting Dooku— or rather, Master Tyranus— in removing the surveillance Sidious had placed on the ship (including moving the pilot droid over to Satine’s ship)… Obi-Wan was instructed to rest in the small but luxurious sleeping quarters that he can only assume are Dooku’s. Master Tyranus’. He will never get used to that.

Being a learner again is… strange. But it is a welcome change. For years Obi-Wan has felt as if his training was left incomplete, and he was not really deserving of the rank of Knight, let alone Master. To have a teacher again is a relief.

Still, he feels restless here. This is new territory, and while he is not nearly as upset by the change as he probably should be… his mind is not yet quiet enough for him to sleep.

So, he instead does what has always helped wear himself out to exhaustion as a Jedi. He sheds the outer layers of the red Mandalorian armor and ignites the darksaber. Starting with Soresu, he begins practicing his katas to the best of his ability in the somewhat limited space.

Before long Dooku enters the room, giving his apprentice a disapproving look.

Obi-Wan sheathes his saber, giving his Master his attention. “What is wrong?”

“My Apprentice, did I tell you to practice katas, or did I tell you to rest?” The imposing Count asks, folding his arms over his broad chest.

Despite himself, Obi-Wan feels a slight twinge of shame. He really does feel like a padawan again. “I _am_ trying to rest, Master. This helps me to tire myself out when I am restless.”

Understanding crosses Dooku’s eyes, and his severe expression softens just slightly. “I see now why your lightsaber technique is so exquisite, if this is how you have been taught to deal with your restlessness… But you are no longer a Jedi, Darth Kryze. You must learn to master your own thoughts and emotions, not ignore them.”

Tyranus considers his new Apprentice briefly, and then continues. “I will find something suitable for you to sleep in. Give me your lightsaber. In the meantime, I want you to think on what the cause of your restlessness is. Have an answer for me before I return.” He instructs, holding his hand out for the darksaber’s hilt.

Obi-Wan gives it to him, along with Maul and Savage’s sabers. It feels wrong to hand over his only weapons… but he knows he will not need them. Inexplicably, he _knows_ that he can trust Dooku.

The Count inspects the black blade Obi-Wan had been using. Now that he has a closer look at the Mandalorian-style hilt and knows the color of the blade, he recognizes it. It is unmistakable, really. “Do you know that this blade is called the Jedi-Killer?”

A shadow of something like guilt or unease crosses Kenobi’s face. “I am aware that some call it that. The Jedi Archives call it the Darksaber, for its unique black blade.”

Dooku nods, turning the hilt over in his hand and comparing it to Maul’s. He ignites both to inspect the blade lengths. “I find it intriguing that you choose to use this blade in place of your own, rather than Maul’s. Savage, I understand, as you have likely not trained with a double-bladed saber. But Maul’s blade is much closer to yours in hilt shape and blade length…” The Sith trails off, making it clear he expects an explanation of some sort from Obi-Wan.

“… That is true, but…” Obi-Wan is not sure how to explain himself. He _should_ probably use Maul’s. But it just… feels wrong to even think of wielding the same lightsaber that murdered his old Master… Regardless that it has since been cut down to only half of what it was and modified. (Much like Maul himself.)

After a moment of deliberation— _stalling—_ he gives Dooku a non-answer. “Red isn’t my color.” That is _one_ reason, at least.

His new master gives a disapproving hum, not fooled by the response. “Do not lie to me, Apprentice. You should not let the pain of your past hinder your performance in the present. Tomorrow, you will train with this darksaber, _and_ Maul’s. You will learn to use the anger his blade causes you to hone your skills and focus in combat. Now, meditate as I instructed you to. I will return shortly.”

And then Dooku is out of the room, without leaving any space for Obi-Wan to argue. Not that he could… His new Master saw right through him.

It seems that he cannot get away with empty assurances and half-truths like he did when Qui-Gon was his master. It would be annoying that he cannot hide quite as much… but in all honesty, it is nice to have a Master that pays closer attention to him.

He feels… _seen_ , in a way he never did as Master Jinn’s padawan.

Obi-Wan should stop comparing Dooku to his old Master. It is impolite to think ill of the dead.

Anyways, he is on a bit of a time limit. He must figure out what’s making him restless… without Dooku’s guidance, this time.

The former Jedi seats himself cross-legged on the bed, finding his center and easily entering a light meditation. The source of his unease is within him somewhere… Finding it is the difficult part.

Assessing his mind is much easier now. He sternly reminds himself to accept that things like fear, anger, and attachment exist within him. He considers each of them in turn.

Is he afraid? Of Maul, perhaps? It would certainly not be an unfounded fear—the Sith has harmed him many a time… but, no. Obi-Wan is not afraid of him. He has been dealt with, thoroughly handled, and Kenobi is certain that if the two Dathomirans _were_ to get free while he slept, Master Tyranus would be more than capable of dispatching them.

Anger? … No. Not anymore. He has burnt himself out of anger at this point. Where his rage usually simmers is a cold emptiness, left by the gap in his heart that Satine used to fill.

As for attachment… What does he have left to lose?

 _Anakin,_ his mind supplies. _The Jedi Order, all my friends and family. They will see me as a traitor now. I can never go back._

His mind’s eye fills suddenly with the faces of his friends, looks of disgust and horror on their faces. It puts a cold sliver of fear in his heart.

A sudden voice cuts through his mind, clear as day.

**_\- I hate you! –_ **

Obi-Wan reels at the immediately recognizable sound of Anakin in his mind. He jolts out of his meditation as a shudder runs through him. What was that, a vision? Is that to be his future?

No, please no… He does not want to lose Anakin, not to this. He is trying to _save_ the Jedi…

What is he thinking- why did he do this? His fellow Jedi won’t want him anymore, not as he is now. He is being _selfish—_

A hand on his shoulder snaps him out of his thoughts. He failed to hear Dooku enter.

The Sith Master is frowning softly at him, that gentle concern once again on his face. “… I take it that you’ve answered my question, my Apprentice?”

At the moniker, Obi-Wan’s eyes go downturned once again. He wants to bolt from the bed, run back to his ship and keep running, trap be damned.

He hears a patient sigh, then feels Dooku’s Force Signature nudge under his chin and lift his head up again. It stays resting there against his throat, both a comfort and a threat as Dooku’s eyes lock with his. “You are panicking, Darth Kryze. Tell me what has you so at odds with yourself.”

The light pressure to his throat helps Obi-Wan focus. He opens his mouth, closes it, opens it again, and then shuts it once more before pausing and trying to collect his thoughts.

It’s not that he is unwilling to speak… but so many years of repressing his every emotion has made it difficult to put such things into words.

“I…” He licks his lips, chest tight as he comes up with the right words. “I worry I’ve made the wrong choice. I asked you to teach me because I want to protect the Jedi. They are the only family I have ever known… But I worry that- I _fear_ that even if we save them all, I will lose my family anyways. I fear that they will reject me for the path I have chosen…”

It is a selfish fear. He should have faith that his family will not cast him aside. And even if they do… He should be happy that they are safe, even if he is no longer a part of their family.

Why can’t he be like that?

He is starting to spiral again, until Dooku’s voice once more pulls him out of it. The Force releases his throat and Dooku stoops down to Obi-Wan’s level, putting himself at the seated man’s height.

“Obi-Wan.” His given name is an admonishment as much as it is a comfort. “I will not pretend that this fight of ours will be easy. You may be right to fear their rejection. After all, they rejected me long before I even turned to the Sith.” He releases a long, tired sigh. “You must have faith that when we have achieved our goal… they will see that we have done what is right despite the path we have chosen. It will not be easy, my Apprentice. But you _will_ be stronger for it.”

While the words are not exactly comforting… Dooku’s tone and confidence is. He is right… when they have beaten Sidious, the Council will know he made the right choice.

Well. _If_ they beat Sidious.

He looks back up to Dooku—Master Tyranus—with a small frown.

“There is something else on my mind, Master…” At the older Sith’s nod, he continues with his explanation. “I don’t know what exactly we are going to fight. You said you would tell me all you know… so, who _is_ Sidious?”

It is a good thing that Obi-Wan is already sitting down, Dooku thinks to himself.

Or, on second thought… Not yet. Obi-Wan will need rest, and the answer to Sidious’ identity will only give him more questions and worries.

“I will tell you when you wake.” Dooku pats Obi-Wan’s shoulder, standing back up. “It will be a long discussion, now is not the time. You have had an exceptionally long day, Darth Kryze, and you need rest before we think about taking Sidious on.”

The answer displeases Obi-Wan… but he understands, to some degree. Now is not the time for big reveals and battle plans. That can come later, when they are in a more secure location. “… Alright…”

The other Sith starts to leave, gesturing to the clothing he brought in and left on the edge of the bed. “Change and rest. Leave your armor by the door and I will have it cleaned before we reach our destination.”

“It… is not my armor.”

“It is now, Obi-Wan.”

Well. That’s the end of that, he supposes.

At least his mind does feel quieter.

“Dooku?”

The older man turns around at the sudden interjection, lifting a brow.

“Er, Master Tyranus…”

“Yes?”

“… Thank you.”

The gratitude puts a warm smile on the Sith’s face. “Of course.”

As he leaves, Obi-Wan feels the last of his worries melt away. Now, he can rest.

. . .

They decided to leave the 212th and the 501st behind to clear up the last of the droids and demolish the facility. The two Legions are used to working together, so it is the natural choice. The 187th will come with Anakin and Mace to Mandalore.

Just as they are preparing to leave, the entrance to the bridge hisses open and A clone in orange-marked armor comes running into the room. “Generals,” Commander Cody greets, a bit out of breath. Another clone with blue markings is hot on his heels. Captain Rex. “Please, wait.”

Anakin halts what he is saying to Master Windu, gives the other Jedi half a shrug, and nods to his two friends. “What’s up, Cody?”

The commander slows his pace, coming closer. “I would like to request that I come with you, sirs… I understand that General Kenobi might be in danger. As his commander… I want- no, I need to help him. It is my job to protect him, at all costs.” He pauses, trying not to baulk under Mace Windu’s impassive stare. “And… furthermore, he is my friend.”

Rex chimes in, putting a comforting hand on Cody’s shoulder. “I can lead the 212th and the 501st in his place, Generals. There isn’t all that much left to do, anyways.”

“You aren’t a commander,” Mace points out with a frown. “You’re still a Captain.”

“I can promote him,” comes Anakin’s rebuttal, frowning at the other Jedi. He should have done so by now, anyways. It’s just that… part of him still hopes Ahsoka will come back, so he did not want to give Rex her title. Just in case.

Mace returns Anakin’s frown with a flat look. Then he shrugs, turning back towards the helm of the ship. “I don’t care either way.”

Anakin rolls his eyes at the obstinate Korun’s back, then turns to face the two clones with a smile. “I think it’s a good idea to have you with us, Cody. I have a feeling that Obi-Wan will need all the friendly faces he can get once we find him. You’re welcome to tag along.” He smiles more at the relief on the Commander’s face, then turns his attention to Rex. “As for you, Rex; you’re a Commander now. I’ll fill the paperwork out later. Now I think you have some troops to oversee; you best get to it.”

The new Commander gives him a salute before making to exit. “Yes Sir!”

Anakin smiles, watching his former Captain go. His attention focuses on Cody. “Alright, let me catch you up to speed while we get ready to jump.”

“I heard we’re headed to Mandalore, General,” Cody states, prompting Anakin to start from there.

Mace is the one who explains, instead. “We were sent a distress call from the Duchess Satine. She specifically asked Obi-Wan for his help.”

“And he went,” Cody responds, not sounding surprised. “Alone? Why didn’t he tell me?”

Anakin wonders the same thing. At least he is not the only one upset by that choice.

Windu just sighs, looking troubled. “She asked for Obi-Wan, not the Republic’s help. If she had, we might have been able to justify sending him with troops, since she _is_ the leader of her people. However, we could not approve a mission on that message alone. He was advised not to go… but it seems Skywalker’s penchant for disregarding orders is a _learned_ trait.”

“ _Hey_ ,” Anakin interjects.

Cody talks over any comeback Anakin might have had. “Senate-approved mission or no, he should have known that I’d go with him.” he states, still not appeased. The entire 212th would gladly defect from the Republic army for their General if only he asked. Obi-Wan tends to inspire that kind of loyalty from people.

“He should have invited both of us,” Anakin agrees, his unhappiness clear. “But what’s done is done. More to the point, the Council and I felt a disturbance. Obi-Wan hasn’t contacted the Order since he left, and his commlink isn’t picking up. We can only assume he was captured on Mandalore and is being held there. He isn’t dead, I would have felt it.”

“That’s about all we know for certain,” Mace adds, still looking troubled. “We will find out more when we reach Mandalore. Hopefully, this will remain an investigation, and won’t escalate into an invasion.”

 _“Hopefully,_ ” Anakin corrects the Jedi Master, “It will remain only a rescue mission.”

Mace just nods, though he does not look quite so sure as Anakin sounds. To be fair, Anakin is not all that confident, either.

They have a bit of a trip ahead of them, so Anakin retires to his quarters to sleep through the jump to hyperspace. There has not been a chance for him to rest between this battle and the one prior… and he is starting to feel drained.

It does not help that he has been stressing about Obi-Wan’s safety for the last ten… twelve hours. He dearly hopes his friend is okay, but he is quietly afraid of what he will find.

He needs some rest. His head needs to be clear if he is going to save his friend and mentor—his only father-figure.

. . .

Dooku’s actions have made it clear that Palpatine must… accelerate his plans. He would be worried, if his _former_ apprentice had not dealt him precisely the sabacc card that he needs in order to get Anakin on his side. Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen one, the incredibly powerful young boy that he has been grooming to be his apprentice since he was first found on that desolate dust-ball of a planet called Tatooine and brought to Naboo.

Anakin’s faith in the Order has always been strong… in large part because his faith in _Obi-Wan_ has always been unshakeable. But now… this latest treachery from Dooku may very well be the grounds he needs to sway Anakin the rest of the way into the Dark.

Anakin will find Obi-Wan, will find that he is fallen… and he will kill them both. Palpatine is sure of it, sure that Anakin’s rage will take over and give him the strength he needs to take both of the would-be Sith down.

And then he will come to Palpatine, lost and torn… and he will join him.

He just needs an extra, tiny push… A nightmare, perhaps. A vision, one that will shape his perception of what Obi-Wan has become.

It is done easily enough; Anakin’s fear is so easy to feed.

. . .

When Anakin wakes from his rest, it is in a cold sweat.

The imagines play again behind his eyelids. Horrible, nightmarish images.

 _Premonitions_ ; comes the unbidden thought. No, it cannot be.

What he saw… it just is _not_ possible. Obi-Wan could never… he wouldn’t…

His stomach roils unhappily as the nightmare replays in harsh flashes behind his eyelids. A new horror revealed with each time he blinks.

— _Obi-Wan, eyes a sulfurous yellow and darkness clinging to him like a shroud as he massacres a room of red-armored Mandalorians. He wields the dark saber in one hand, his own saber in the other. Blood is splattered on both the weapons and himself as he gives into his rage. They do not stand a chance._ —

— _His Master again, this time kneeling before Dooku._

 _The name ‘Darth Kryze’ echoes in his mind._ —

— _Another flash and Obi-Wan is standing over a defeated Mace with two sabers held to the Korun’s throat in a crossed formation. One red, one black. Dooku Nods, and Obi-Wan beheads his former friend._

_“No!” Anakin hears his own scream from his vantage point in the vision._

_Obi-Wan scoffs, and then turns his burning yellow gaze on him._

_“You always have been a disappointment, Anakin.” The words feel like a punch to the gut. “Really, I knew you were dense, but you cannot possibly tell me you did not see this coming.” The smile Darth Kryze gives him as he comes closer is not kind. “You really believed my perfect little Jedi act all these years? I, who have lost_ everything _because of the Jedi?! You’re all fools!”_ —

No, _no_ … Anakin holds his head, willing the Nightmares away. It cannot be… this _can’t_ be true.

Mace comes in as Anakin is catching his breath, looking over the younger Jedi with rare concern in his eyes. “Skywalker… I sensed your distraught. What troubles you?”

“I…” the Jedi Knight starts, expression pained as he debates if he should share his dreams or not. Surely, they must be merely nightmares. This cannot be the truth…

Master Windu takes Anakin’s shoulder firmly. “Tell me, Skywalker.”

He does not want to, but he needs Mace’s assurances that what he saw isn’t possible. “Just—Nightmares, Master Windu. Obi-Wan was in them.”

The Master’s gaze softens a fraction. “You mustn’t fear for him, Skywalker. Obi-Wan is very capable. I’m sure we’ll find him alive and bring him back safe and sound.”

“It wasn’t that…” Anakin starts, though he _is_ comforted by the fact that Mace hasn’t even considered the possibility he saw in his nightmares. “In my nightmares… he had fallen. To the Dark Side.” He whispers the last part, as if he is afraid that saying it too loud might make it true. “I had… similarly vivid premonitions before my mother died. I fear what these ones could mean…”

Mace’s grip tightens a fraction as his brow furrows in troubled contemplation. “… I do not believe Obi-Wan to be a traitor… We will keep your dreams in mind, but we must also have faith in Master Kenobi.” He lets go of Anakin’s shoulder, shaking his head staunchly. “We can’t assume the worst without proof. Do not take such premonitions to heart, Skywalker. The fear these dreams create may be the very thing that leads to them becoming truth.”

Anakin nods, trying to put the nightmares from his mind. Mace is right, Obi-Wan is not capable of the evil he foresaw.

“We have reached Mandalore,” Windu interrupts his thoughts, leading him out of the room. “We’re getting permission to land, and then we can put your worries to rest, Skywalker.”

The younger Jedi nods, putting aside his fears for now. They need to _find_ Obi-Wan, first and foremost. “I’m going to get some caf, then I’ll meet you in the hangar.”

“Don’t dawdle, Anakin,” The Jedi Master sighs, heading for the bridge to help explain their presence.

“Since when have I ever done that?” Anakin asks with a roll of his eyes. “I’ll be the one waiting for you, probably.”

“We’ll see,” Mace calls back, before he gets out of earshot.

Anakin sticks his tongue out once the Jedi Master is no longer looking. Then he quickly swaps his clothes out for fresh ones and hurries to the cafeteria. He will beat Mace to the Hangar… and, well. He is also a bit impatient to get some caffeine in himself. His ‘rest’ was not very restful.

. . .

Anakin’s fears were _not_ assuaged on Mandalore.

They arrived in the throne room with a small detail of distrusting Mandalorians—A sect of what was formerly Deathwatch, now led by Bo Katan. They were told of Maul and Savage’s presence on Mandalore, and subsequently they were informed of Satine Kryze’s death. This was a trap for Obi-Wan.

Anakin worried for his former Master’s well-being… he can’t have taken Maul’s appearance and Satine’s death well. Unfortunately, Lady Bo had no news for them on that front. All three force-users had disappeared, along with Satine’s personal cruiser. They are tracking it, but until they can uncover what happened here, they are reluctant to go after it. Bo Katan is more than happy to send the Jedi to track it down instead of her own people, who are already far too few after the massacre in the parliament building.

The throne room looks like a war zone. None of the bodies have been moved yet, pending an investigation as to how this all happened.

Bodies are strewn… everywhere. Anakin is sickeningly reminded of his vision.

It does not take them long to recognize most of the fatal wounds as those created by a lightsaber. The only one who seems to have died from other means… is Satine. There is a gaping wound in her side, the kind made from a powerful blaster at short range. Bo Katan points out the crushed Mandalorian blasters littered around the room and infers that one of them was likely the culprit.

So, what do they know for certain now…?

Maul and Savage were here. Obi-Wan was also here… and Satine was likely shot by one of these ‘black hand’ members; Maul’s personal Mandalorian entourage. And then someone… murdered every one of them. In brutal fashions, too. Many are missing multiple limbs, some are missing their heads, several more appeared to die in a much slower and more excruciating fashion, their wounds piercing naught more than a lung and their faces left twisted in agony. Several appear to have been hacked to unrecognizable pieces. Still more appeared to have been killed by the Force alone, either by strangulation or by having been thrown into a wall so hard that their heads cracked open or their necks broke.

It did not look good for Obi-Wan.

Anakin trades troubled glances with Mace as they examine the room. But he still doesn’t truly believe his Master could have done this… It is too violent, too messy. Even if Obi-Wan were prone to massacres, he cannot imagine he would be so sloppy about it.

And- as Cody tells them after a check-in with the guardsmen- there is no holo-vid proof, either. The security room and everyone in it had been hacked to pieces. That _could_ be the true culprit’s doing. It just seems too obvious to be the work of his cunning and sophisticated Master.

“Ah- Generals…” The commander starts, trying to break the news gently to Anakin and interrupting his thoughts in the process. “We found the wreckage of the _Twilight_ on a landing pad… Should we try to salvage what’s left and take it aboard our ship?”

“Was anyone on board?” Windu asks, brow furrowed.

Cody nods. “It appears that one Mandalorian died in the explosion. I… thought it might have been Obi-Wan at first… he was wearing that gods-awful bounty hunter disguise. The one General Kenobi wore when he went undercover as Rako Hardeen.”

Bo Katan sighs, adding her observations. “I saw Kenobi swap uniforms with him. He knocked one of the guards out and used the Black Hand armor to disguise himself so he could get to Satine’s cell. I didn’t realize that guard was still onboard when Kenobi tried to escape with the Duchess and Maul attacked them. He shot rockets at their ship. I can’t begin to guess how either Obi-Wan or Satine survived it, and I didn’t stick around to watch. They were dragged here, unconscious. I was making plans to break them out if Maul locked them up when… all this happened.”

He had almost gotten her to safety…

The Jedi Knight looks over at Satine’s regal corpse resting almost peacefully on the throne. Obi-Wan had moved here there, that much had been deduced. She had died more in the center of the room. Her blaster wound was mostly obscured by the arm of the throne, and if one did not know better, it might seem as if she had just fallen asleep there.

Anakin could see Obi-Wan’s care for her in the way she was placed.

Looking around the room… Anakin wonders if he would not have done the same had Padme been in Satine’s place. Perhaps he and Obi-Wan are not so different as he always believed.

It is not until Anakin goes to more closely examine Satine’s body that he sees the most incriminating clue against Obi-Wan. Next to the throne, there is a glimmer of metal and a familiar hum in the force. Anakin kneels and finds Obi-Wan’s lightsaber there, left on the floor. It is grimy with blood, damaged to the point that it will not ignite… and as Anakin attempts to read the kyber crystal for any hints, it just screams at him, like a terrified soul.

Anakin tries to swallow down the lump in his throat as he calls Mace over, holding the lightsaber in his trembling non-robotic hand.

 _This weapon is your life,_ Obi-Wan had said to him, time after time. What does this mean for Obi-Wan’s life?

“The crystal is…” Anakin tries to hold back the tears in his eyes as he explains what he felt to Mace. “It’s in pain. It is screaming, Windu. What does that mean?”

The Jedi Master takes the saber from Anakin’s hand. He is grateful for it, not sure how much longer he could have handled the overwhelming pain for.

“… I do not know,” Mace says after a moment, his own eyes reflecting the same pain Anakin feels as he holds the saber. “Nothing good.”

Anakin takes it back once he can breathe steadily again, determined to find some clue within it. Something, _anything_ to indicate that Obi-Wan had not done this. He closes his eyes, letting himself feel Obi-Wan’s kyber crystal once more, listening to its screams and trying to find meaning within them.

“… It screams for Obi-Wan,” He hesitantly concludes, eyes shut and tears at the corners of them. There is a deep pain, loss, sorrow, anguish.

_And you, Master. What does your heart tell you you’re meant for?_

_Infinite Sadness,_ Obi-Wan had answered, a gentle smile on his lips.

So much pain… It reflects the pain of loss in his Master’s soul. And… something else, too. Terror. Something _Evil_ came into contact with it…

Anakin cannot derive from the Force who, or what it was… only that it was pure, unadulterated Darkness.

He hopes it was not Obi-Wan… Something else. Maul, maybe.

Bo Katan’s voice draws him out of his conflicted thoughts. “I can give you the current co-ordinates for Satine’s ship. You should know… If Kenobi did this… He will not be tried as a criminal here. Almec and Maul reinstated the Warrior Law of Old Mandalore when Maul challenged and killed Pre Viszla in combat before drawing Obi-Wan here. If he came on Satine’s call, he is considered her champion. And if he defeated Maul… then he is the rightful ruler of Mandalore in her place.” She releases a breath, looking on Satine with a quiet mourning. “If he did this… he is a hero to our people. He has saved us from a fate far worse than this. Maul is a _monster._ And…” She closes her eyes, looking away from her dead sister. “… he understood Satine better than any of us ever did; I think… perhaps he is the kind of leader we need now. I met him only once, but he seemed an honorable man.”

The lithe woman pushes a lock of her ginger hair back into her headband, then approaches Mace to give him a small tracking device. “If you find him, tell him he has a place on Mandalore. I will keep you updated on our investigation. If we find anything new, I’ll let you know.”

“Your help is greatly appreciated,” Windu responds. “We won’t intrude any further.”

Anakin’s gut does uneasy flips at Bo-Katan’s words. She seems so certain that Obi-Wan did this… How can she see it as a _good_ thing if he did?

 _Not that I am any better._ No- those days are long behind him. He made this mistake once… but he has better control now. More balance. Padme helped him find that.

But if this had been Padme…

No, he cannot think of that.

Perhaps Obi-Wan is the same as he was… he made a mistake. His old Master lashed out, but he can come back from it, like Anakin did.

After all, Tatooine would not consider what Anakin did a crime—and it is outside the Republic’s jurisdiction anyways. Much like that, Mandalore does not consider Obi-Wan a criminal. And it is also a system that is outside the Republic’s jurisdiction.

Somehow, that gives Anakin some modicum of comfort. As of now, they cannot arrest Obi-Wan for this. He can come back from it, like Anakin did… so long as he hasn’t fallen completely.

Despite his premonitions… Anakin must believe that Obi-Wan is still in the light.

He tucks the saber into his robes. He will repair it later, try to heal the crystal, and he’ll give it back to Obi-Wan _when_ they find him and bring him back home.

“You’re being uncharacteristically quiet, Skywalker,” Mace comments as they head back to their ship.

Anakin startles, drawn from his contemplation. “… I’m worried.”

The Jedi Master nods gravely. “The scene we saw does not inspire much confidence… I sense darker forces at work.” Windu muses with a sad tone. He refocuses on Anakin, frowning tightly at him. “Why do you worry? Do you still fear that Obi-Wan has fallen?”

Anakin shakes his head reluctantly. “I too, sense a great evil… Something darker than I have ever encountered. I can’t put a finger on a specific thing, I just…” The younger man sighs, feeling exhausted. “… worry.”

“That’s understandable,” Windu admits with half a shrug. “See that you do not let your visions direct your conclusions, Anakin. Do not let dreams fill in the blanks of reality. There is still much we do not know about what happened there. We must first find Obi-Wan and ask him ourselves.”

“Yes, Master Windu,” Anakin agrees, too upset by everything they have seen to argue much. He knows the older Jedi is right… He cannot assume things based on what he saw in his dreams. Even so, he still can’t help but worry that their complacence will be the death of Mace… and perhaps himself, too.

His visions were correct before, after all.

. . .

Obi-Wan wakes up feeling rested. He checks the time, finding that only about four hours have passed… which is frankly longer than he usually sleeps for.

His armor has been cleaned and folded and left back on the small table at some point while he was asleep. He misses his robes… but they haven’t reached their destination and given how well the sleep clothes _didn’t_ fit him (Dooku is a giant of a man), the armor is probably the only clothing on this ship that is relatively close to his size. Beside the armor is Maul’s saber and the darksaber, both of which he clips to his belt with a small sigh.

The former Jedi heads out of the room, finding Dooku at the head of the ship. There is a gorgeous planet in view, and they are making their approach to it.

“Slept well, my Apprentice?”

Obi-Wan is caught off guard when he is addressed. He had made no noise, and Dooku hadn’t turned around. Had he sensed him in the Force alone?

“… Yes, Master. Better than I have in over a month.”

The older Sith looks over at him, concerned that four hours seems to be the most Obi-Wan has slept consecutively in such a long span of time. He notes also that the gold has faded from Kenobi’s eyes, leaving them a calm blue once again. Pity.

After a moment, he decides to drop the subject and instead turns back to piloting the Solar Sailer. “That is good. We will be safe on Serenno for a time. There, I will tell you what I know and then we will begin your training.”

Obi-Wan nods, taking a seat in the co-pilot’s chair.

“Are there any thoughts you wish to share with me, my young Apprentice?”

How does Dooku always know when he is thinking too much?

“Your apprenticeship bond to me,” Dooku answers Obi-Wan’s unspoken thought. “I am constantly aware of your emotional state, even across great distances.”

“… Ah.” Kenobi responds, rather intelligently. “… that’s a bit more invasive than the Jedi bonds are.”

“It is a necessary precaution. Sith apprentices _are_ known to betray their masters.”

“… Like you are doing to Sidious?”

“Precisely.”

The easy way Dooku says that gives Obi-Wan reason to pause. “And you believe that I will betray you, in turn?”

“Mm, someday.” Dooku responds, sounding unconcerned. “Not anytime soon. No, if and when you betray me, it will be when I have nothing left to teach you, and when my legacy through you will leave me to join the Force with only pride for you. I believe I have chosen my Apprentice well.”

Obi-Wan makes a face, frowning at the planet as they approach. “… I do not like this tradition. I think I will let you die of age, old man.”

That gets a sudden burst of laughter from Dooku. “The greatest betrayal of all, my Apprentice. Allowing me to grow old and senile? How treacherous.”

“You are nearly there already,” Kenobi counters with a teasing glint in his eyes. “I wouldn’t have to wait long.”

“Such an impudent pupil I have. We will see if your skills with a blade match your wit when I begin your training, Darth Kryze.”

“Promises,” Obi-Wan responds with a soft scoff. “I haven’t had a challenging fight since our last duel, Dooku,” and at the Sith Lord’s look, he corrects himself, “Master Tyranus.”

“Let us hope you are not out of practice, then, my Apprentice.” The Count has a warm sort of happiness in his eyes from the easy back-and-forth. “Go practice your Katas while I take us in for landing.”

Obi-Wan nods his assent, heading to the more open common area of the ship to do so. He can see the holding cell Maul and Savage are being kept in, and he ignores them as he draws the two lightsabers and begins practicing his forms as instructed. It is good exercise, and a good distraction from the eyes he can feel watching him.

“He is using your lightsaber, brother.” Kenobi hears Savage say in a hushed tone.

“I know…” comes Maul’s quiet, hissed reply. “His hypocrisy and arrogance astound me. He will make an immensely powerful Sith.”

Obi-Wan attempts to tune them out, a scowl marring his expression as he continues his exercises. Let the peanut gallery give their inane commentary. It will roll off him like water from a duck.

“It does not anger you?” Savage’s whisper sounds astonished. “Do you not want him dead?”

There is a smile in the soft voice as it replies. “No… I feel… blessed to witness this. He will destroy Sidious… I can _feel_ it. He will bring great change to the galaxy, brother. I believed Sidious’s plans to be inevitable, unstoppable… but can you not feel it? We are at a vergence in the Force. The course of everything as we know it is changing, and the Dark Side is _strong_.”

Obi-Wan cannot stand it anymore. He casts the two of them a dirty look over his shoulder. “… quiet, both of you.” His lightsabers shut off as he crosses his arms. “You won’t be witnessing anything. You’ll both be trapped in a cell for the remainder of this war, where you will rot until you can be moved to a Republic prison.” He cocks his brow, looking a little smug. “Perhaps we shall retake the Citadel, keep you two there?”

Maul’s smile is infuriating. “You would like that, wouldn’t you, Kenobi…?”

“If you were quiet? Very much so, yes.”

The former Jedi’s tone is dismissive as he once more ignites his lightsabers and practices another form, one Anakin favored for dual-saber combat. It is a bit more aggressive than he usually prefers… but it is good stress relief.

Maul and Savage do not _completely_ shut up, but the more intense and less familiar katas do a far better job of helping him to ignore them. They will go in a cell soon enough, then he won’t have to deal with them any longer.

. . .

Satine’s ship is easy enough to find.

It is not hidden, instead just drifting along through space. There is no reaction when they attempt to comm the ship. Anakin’s gut fills with a cold dread as all they receive back is static.

The ship just keeps moving as if on autopilot.

Mace’s republic Cruiser catches it in a tractor beam easily, and the ship is brought on board.

No life-forms found in the scans…

Anakin half-expects to find more dead bodies inside, but instead he is met with nothing save for an odd-looking pilot droid. It greets him politely before returning to doddering around the unoccupied ship, methodically tidying up. It refuses to say who it belongs to, or what happened on the ship.

There is nothing in the way of physical evidence left inside the ship to help them uncover what happened to Obi-Wan. There _is_ a ship log, but it’s all in mando’a, so Cody is working on translating it.

The only indication that anyone was here… is the overwhelming feeling of the Dark Side within the cabin.

“Probably Maul and Savage…” Anakin mutters to himself. Mace is also investigating what little is left behind and likely overheard him, as he nods in silent agreement.

“Generals!” Cody calls suddenly, pointing at something.

Anakin follows the path of his finger, seeing what the Clone commander noticed. “A Holorecorder.”

Hopefully, this one wasn’t wiped…

“Good work Commander Cody,” Mace praises the Clone with a tone of relief. He had worried that this trail went cold. “Get someone to pull the footage and with any luck, we’ll find out where Obi-Wan went next.

“Yes sir,” Cody responds with a salute, ordering their tech expert to go retrieve the files. “I translated the ship log too, sirs. It is currently set in a holding pattern, on autopilot… but the last course set was to Coruscant. The ship was forced to drop out of hyperspace via proximity warning. Something was blocking the hyperlane.”

“Obi-Wan was trying to get back to us,” Anakin deduces, sharing a worried look with Mace.

“And something stopped him…” the other Jedi finishes, hand going up to his chin in thought. “Whoever it was knew this ship would be tracked. They left it as a decoy.”

“They didn’t take anything besides Obi-Wan… and maybe Maul and Savage, though. So probably not pirates, at least.” Anakin adds, also frowning in thought. On second thought, he would not put it past Hondo to kidnap three force users. The crazy pirate _has_ done it before.

“There’s no use speculating. Let’s wait for the footage. With any luck, all will be revealed…”

Anakin agrees with Mace… but he is not going to give the Jedi Master the satisfaction of telling him so.

“The longer we wait, the more trouble Obi-Wan could be in.”

“I know, Skywalker,” Windu says, too worried and tired to trade jabs with Anakin. “But we have no choice.”

. . .

Serenno is a beautiful planet. High, mist-covered mountaintops, crisp, clean air…

Obi-Wan breathes it in deep, enjoying the luxury of it. He spends so much time on starships, on Coruscant, on polluted backwater resource planets… fresh air is something he rarely gets to experience. He is so used to the recycled kind, he nearly forgot what this was like.

He stands out on the landing platform for an entire minute, just soaking up the novelty of it.

Dooku pulls him away from the edge of the platform with a rumble of laughter. “Careful, the winds can get quite strong up here. You would not want to go falling off the edge. It’s an exceptionally long climb back up, and I won’t be coming to rescue you if you do something so careless, my Apprentice.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Obi-Wan replies with his own soft amusement. “This is a lovely planet, Count. You must be very proud of it.”

“I am,” Dooku replies warmly, tugging Obi-Wan back to the ship. “Help me bring Maul and Savage inside, and then we have much to discuss.”

Obi-Wan just nods his assent, returning to the ship to help Dooku bring the two Sith into the Count’s mountaintop fortress.

Maul makes a bid for freedom while Dooku leads him inside, but Obi-Wan quickly puts an end to it. All it takes is a flash of Maul’s own saber, and the foot of his mechanical right leg is gone.

“Try that again, and I’ll take the whole leg off next time,” Obi-Wan threatens casually, putting the saber back on his hip as Maul loses his balance, needing to lean on Dooku for support.

“Thank you, Apprentice” Dooku says graciously, helping Maul the rest of the way inside.

Savage does not seem very interested in trying his luck with Obi-Wan.

Maul just glowers, clearly upset that he was too slow to get far enough from them. He had intended to jump over the edge and hopefully get the cuffs off quickly so that he could use the Force to control his fall before hitting the ground. Then he could come back for Savage and his saber, but… clearly, Obi-Wan is paying more attention to him than he appears to be.

It seems their imprisonment is unavoidable… for now.

. . .

Anakin cannot believe what he’s seeing.

He restarts the holovid.

The way it starts originally filled both Anakin and Mace with relief. Obi-Wan appeared unharmed. They are on the right track. He is dragging Maul and Savage onto the ship and then plotting a course for Coruscant. He looks tired and sad but he moves with purpose.

He sits in the pilot seat for a long while before drawing his knees up to his chest and tucking his head against them. There is not a good view from the holorecorder’s vantage point… but Anakin is nearly certain that his shoulders are shaking with sobs.

It is a private moment, one Anakin feels like he shouldn’t see, so he skips the holovid ahead.

At this point in the holo, Maul and Savage are still bound and tucked into a corner, unconscious. Obi-Wan appeared to be meditating. He certainly did not look like he had just slaughtered a room full of people less than an hour ago. The holo is not colored however, so it is difficult to tell if he has any blood on his armor or not.

His meditation did seem… troubled, however.

Kenobi was pulled out of it when Maul awoke, and Anakin could see the anger and conflict in his former Master’s expression as he spoke to the Sith. It was… troubling.

The conversation went downhill once Obi-Wan stated his intentions were to bring his prisoners back to Coruscant. (At least that was a point in Obi-Wan’s favor.) Maul ribbed Obi-Wan about Satine, her death… implying that he killed her. Or at least, that he was responsible for her death.

Anakin could see the tightening of Obi-Wan’s jaw, the anger in the way his fists clenched, and the way it stayed with him even when he dropped the subject, ignoring Maul and trying once again to meditate.

He was attached to Satine, that much is clear. And he is having trouble letting her go.

Anakin speeds up the video, skipping to the next major event.

Dooku.

The thing that caused Obi-Wan’s ship to drop out of hyperspace was Dooku’s Punworcca 116-class interstellar sloop. Anakin watches Obi-Wan answer the communications, watches as Maul and Savage are suddenly lifted by the force, being choked by Dooku.

He watches as Obi-Wan uses the dark side to stop Dooku.

Mace is sitting down. He has been completely silent since the first time they watched this. Cody left the ship after the first playthrough. Anakin can hear him cleaning his blaster outside.

He watches Obi-Wan attempt to reason with Dooku and try to get him to let them go. He continues to watch as Dooku boards Obi-Wan’s ship.

The meeting goes about as he would expect, with Obi-Wan being guarded but not aggressive. His hands are never too far from the darksaber hilt on his hip, ready to fight Dooku if it comes to that.

The Count of Serenno mentions that he offered for Obi-Wan to join him before. It was news to Anakin, but Mace had known already. Kenobi had told the council about it after Geonosis; Dooku’s attempt to get the Jedi Knight to join him and the Separatists.

Obi-Wan had rejected him then, and he looks annoyed by the reminder now.

Dooku does not wait for Obi-Wan to tell him no again, instead launching into an explanation of what will happen if he does not take him up on the offer. He mentions Sidious, claims he has power on Coruscant…

Once again, Anakin is shocked by the news, but Windu had just looked troubled, but not particularly surprised.

Maul interjects, and for the second time today, Anakin watches as his Master’s eyes shift from anger to resignation. Obi-Wan knows what happened to Ahsoka. He was not able to sway the Council for her case, though Anakin knows he tried to give her more time. Obi-Wan saw firsthand how the Council allowed her to be accused and nearly convicted of the bombing and the murder of her witness.

The same would become of him.

As his former Master asks for his other option, Anakin carefully takes in the defeated slump of his shoulders, the smile of satisfaction on Dooku’s face. _Snake_.

Dooku launches into a flowery speech. An idealistic painting of what the future could be if they joined forces. The war ended, the Jedi returning to their way as Peacekeepers. He even talks about Obi-Wan’s past, how he was as a youngling…

Anakin never knew that Obi-Wan struggled with rage and anger as he did.

He and his Master are more alike than he could have ever thought. Anakin is struck by the sudden realization that this could be him… that if he had lost Padme… or was in danger of losing her… and Dooku offered an alternate path… Anakin is not sure that he wouldn’t take it.

Dooku offers to help Obi-Wan meditate on the decision.

The Jedi is clearly reluctant, but after a few more honeyed words from the Count, he accepts. A few minutes and some instruction later, they are both seated and meditating.

Maul whispers to his brother during this time, but the holorecorder is not close enough to them to pick up what is being said. They will get a lip-reader to examine it later.

Obi-Wan goes through a range of emotions and expressions as he meditates with Dooku over the course of the next thirty minutes. Anakin skips through them, his heart heavy as he watches all the pain laced through each expression.

His Master has suffered so much… why does he never speak to him about this?

Perhaps if he had been a better friend to his old master… Obi-Wan would not have turned to Dooku like this.

He stops when the meditation ends, both men moving. They face each other, and Anakin can see the silent conversation in their eyes.

Dooku looks gentle but demanding. Obi-Wan briefly appears unsure, and then shuts his eyes, takes a deep breath, and when he reopens them, there is a decisiveness in his gaze.

 _“Kneel, Kenobi.”_ Dooku’s holo-image says.

Obi-Wan does.

Anakin re-watches this part, feeling numb. There is a ringing in his ears.

_“… and you shall be called… Darth Kryze.”_

“Turn it off,” Mace finally speaks, his rich voice heavy with sorrow.

Anakin stops the Holo, leaves it frozen on that image.

Obi-Wan has fallen.

There are tears in Anakin’s eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, sorry for the rough ending! the next part is already started, and will be done as quickly as I can manage!
> 
> As always, Comments and Kudos are very appreciated! I received so many kind ones on the last fic, it really gave me the motivation to get this part done as quickly as I have!


End file.
